Lebron James To Return To Cleveland

MIAMI, FL - JUNE 12: LeBron James #6 of the Miami Heat looks on against the San Antonio Spurs during Game Four of the 2014 NBA Finals at American Airlines Arena on June 12, 2014 in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

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Lebron James has one simple message for the team he once spurned: “I’m coming home.”

In a piece for Sports Illustrated, James told Lee Jenkins that he is returning to his hometown team — the Cleveland Cavaliers — just four years after leaving a foul taste in the city’s mouth by joining the Miami Heat. When he left, Cavaliers fans instantly projected their vitriol, including publicly burning the star’s jerseys.

Now, James said he realizes he should have stayed home:

“Before anyone ever cared where I would play basketball, I was a kid from Northeast Ohio. It’s where I walked. It’s where I ran. It’s where I cried. It’s where I bled. It holds a special place in my heart… My relationship with Northeast Ohio is bigger than basketball. I didn’t realize that four years ago. I do now.”

James continued that he was being much more realistic with his expectations this time around, saying the team is not ready for a championship. He, along with Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh, famously held a press conference where the threesome said they expected to win “not one, not two,” but seven championships. The Heat made the NBA Finals each of the four years since the Big Three teamed up, winning in both 2012 and 2013.

Instead, James said he wants to help young stars Kyrie Irving and Andrew Wiggins develop the team into a powerhouse.

But it isn’t just about returning to where he’s comfortable — James said he feels like he can make a bigger difference in his home state, although he admitted the challenge would be difficult:

“In Northeast Ohio, nothing is given. Everything is earned. You work for what you have.